Raiders could be looking for punter

Updates following coach Tom Cable’s weekly Monday briefing with the Bay Area media:
— The Raiders could be bringing in a punter for insurance after Shane Lechler strained a hamstring against the Broncos.

“We’ll have to decide pretty quick how we want to attack this,’’ Cable said. “(We’ll have to determine) the severity and what his workload can be, if anything. Once you answer those things, it can give you some direction on what needs to happen.’’

Lechler gave way to Sebastian Janikowski for a punt late in the first half and the fortunate result was Syd’Quan Thompson fumbling the 33-yard line drive and setting Oakland up for a field goal to tie the game.

He returned to punt in the second half.

“He went in at halftime and did some work on it and he was able to go the rest of the game, so it’s a matter of what is the extent of the injury,’’ Cable said. “They’re doing an MRI and all those things today.’’

The Raiders extra kicker during training camp was Swayze Waters, who punted 10 times in the preseason for a 46.6 average with two touchbacks, two punts inside the 20 and a long of 53 yards.

Glenn Pakulak, a left-footed punter who has been on the practice squad and occasionally has a “tryout’’ when the Raiders are preparing to face a left-footed punter, is a possiblility.

Cable said he thought Lechler would be OK to be the holder on place kicks if he couldn’t punt.

— Cable said right tackle Langston Walker had started his concussion protocol and will have to go through the process and be cleared to play against Indinapolis. He said defensive tackle Richard Seymour (hamstring), like Lechler, would be “questionable’’ at this point.

Cable said cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha’s ankle is better today than either of the last two Mondays.

More Cable observations:

Deciding to turn up the intensity at halftime

“It’s really where your team is. How you feel about your team and what you see going on . . . (We) just needed to change the focus of where we were at.’’

The performance of right tackle Mario Henderson

“There’s another guy who was prepared. He went in there and I thought he was a little slow at first, and after about three or four plays, he just got into it and did a really nice job.’’

Sebastian Janikowski’s 6-for-31 touchback rate in the last six games

“With our personnel on our kickoff team, we’re kicking a little bit more directionally, maybe than in the past. Weather, obviously has had a lot to do with that. It depends on the situation.’’

Staying away from pondering `What if . . . ‘

“You do that naturally. It’s human nature. What if you made this kick? What if you scored this touchdown? What if you got this stop? What if? What if? The bottom line is we didn’t and we’re 7-7. We’ve got to find a way to beat Indianapolis this weekend, and hopefully, get some help. Then, if it’s supposed to be, we’ll go to Kansas City and play for it.’’

Preparing for Peyton Manning

“It’s a challenge, no question. But we’re a challenge for him, too. We have to look at it that way. As long as we play the way we’re capable of playing I think it will be a heck of a game.’’

I like your attitude man! It ain’t over til it’s over. Tennessee is fully capable of beating KFC. And as far as Cincy and STD…like the saying goes…it’s ‘Any Given Sunday in the NFL. Stranger things have happened…

inonewordraider

CDERaider Says:
December 20th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Doesn’t matter that much in this one, if we’re punting – we’re losing. If we can’t possess the ball and score for most of the day and have 5 or less punts all day, it doesn’t matter how good the punter is, we will lose.

Next week at KC is another matter – will likely be a lower scoring game in bad weather and punting is important for field position against a running team.

So, get someone else in there for this week and let Lechler heal for KC.

Don’t set me up for the agony if this doesn’t go down! Tell you what though it’s been great to see news coverage with our Raiders as an “in the hunt” team. Wouldn’t it be just like the Raiders to be the first team to sweep the division and not make the playoffs? Let’s knock Indy and the Chiefs out of the playoffs, give New England the worst pick possible, and let the chips fall were they may.

hwnrdr

# socalraider2408 Says:
December 20th, 2010 at 4:38 pm

ALL I WANT FOR X-MAS IS KC TO LOSE TO THE TITANS, SD TO LOSE TO THE BUNGHOLES, AND FOR US TO BE A NIGHTMARE FOR MANNING IN THE BLACK HOLE. If we can make it to the playoffs anything can happen….WE GOTTA BELIEVE!!!

That is exactly what I’m wishing for! Oh, and SF to lose to St. Lunatics!

Carl Weathers

Forgot to mention that the tomorrow deadline is for week 17, week 16 had to of been done by last Tuesday…

Even if the Raiders are mathematically eliminated this week it would still be nice to go to KC and end the year by knocking them outta the playoffs, in their home, on primetime. 9-7 & 6-0 in the division is a huge step in the right direction.
**************
Carl Weathers Says:
December 20th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Here’s an FYI regarding flex games…

Any game being flexed into primetime would have to be done tomorrow at the latest. The Raiders/chefs game could be in primetime. It may not mean anything for the Raiders regasding playoffs but it could still carry implications for the chefs and SD. Either way they have to do it by tomorrow so there is a good chance it gets the done and the NFL prays for a chefs loss vs. Tenn.

CDERaider

21. True. He hasn’t been great at quick reads and audibles – and he appears to be a bit robotic at times which is frustrating (and I hate the smug look on the sidelines – does this guy ever smile or scream or anything??)

*But*, he *has* been good at running the offense, selling play action, executing screen plays, checking down to DMC, Miller and Reece (the studs of the offense), decent throws downfield (WR’s have not produced, sans Ford), been very good with his feet (he has made big plays that way moving the chains), and has not turned the ball over (that much, anyway). And he is a winner as a starter where nobody else in the last 7 years can say that.

I know he’s not elite, but I really think this guy has something – I think he can help us become a winner and we would have not been 7-7 this year without him, IMO. I think we win the division hands down next year with him as a starter and improvements at Oline, RunD, and especially WR.

Cable has to stay and should – AD will execute his 1 yr option. Hue will stay unless he gets a HC offer – I don’t think he will though.

DKnight007

I’m more worried about the Bungals stepping it up!

I’m not worried about Tenn being able to beat KC at home….cause they can!

We need Cinncy to step it the heck up in the cold at home and show some pride and hurt Cry Me a Rivers and beat those beach bum punks! haha

There was specualtion he’d be on quite a few short lists of the 10-15 HC openings coming up.

JB

It’s my impression that JCampbell is getting more comfortable with our offense. There has been definite & continuous improvement. If this continues, he should end up being a fairly decent QB. With a dominant O-line, he should be just fine. He has decent mobility and his runs were appropriate and substantial. Assuming he has better than average intelligence, a good work ethic & a willingness to put in the requisite work, he might very well turn out to be an excellent QB. Only time will tell.

CDERaider

51. This **it aint over

Chargers have to play 2 road games in bad weather – their passing game is great no doubt – running game is avg – but they have played 3 straight games at home since and telling you those road games in winter are not gimmee wins. Bengals played well against Pitt, beat the Browns and can follow up a win with another strong performance at home, they can upset – dudes are playing for jobs and they have nothing to lose. Even if Bengals lose, the Broncos can still win at home – its the AFC west and throw the records out of the window – especially in the snow. Tebow and the running game will be effective in bad weather.

KC v Titans – the Titans looked pretty good last week. I see their Dline stepping up and CJ going off.

All I want for Christmas is a chance for DMac to run over the entire Chiefs team and their sorry fans for 250 total yds in KC and the Raiders get a chance for payback on the Ravens in the playoffs.

Go Raiders!

DKnight007

Keeping Hue Jackson would be more important than keeping Cable if it came around to it.

Having offensive play calling and system CONTINUITY is far more important than having a coach like Cable “help” with the O-Line sometimes.

YoungAmerican

# DKnight007 Says:
December 20th, 2010 at 5:03 pm

Keeping Hue Jackson would be more important than keeping Cable if it came around to it.

Having offensive play calling and system CONTINUITY is far more important than having a coach like Cable “help” with the O-Line sometimes.

———–

Agreed. Cable hasn’t been too terrible as a general quality control/rah-rah type guy, but as far as actual coaching goes Hue Jackson is more vital to this team’s success.

There was specualtion he’d be on quite a few short lists of the 10-15 HC openings coming up.

^^^^^^^^^
Keeping Hue Jackson would be more important than keeping Cable if it came around to it.

Having offensive play calling and system CONTINUITY is far more important than having a coach like Cable “help” with the O-Line sometimes.

JLofty

DHB had a nice catch or two yesterday. Still haven’t seen much from Chaz, may need some time for Soup to get some chem w/ him. Murphy made a sweet grab and some AWESOME blocks.
Need to limit turnovers and that Donkey stomping yesterday would’a looked like the first game.
Both Ricky Schmidt and Swayze Waters seemed like plausible backup/replacment punters. Waters can do both which may give him the “leg” up.

Keeping Hue Jackson would be more important than keeping Cable if it came around to it.
———————————-
Maybe, but whose going to insist that Jackson run the ball? Not Al Davis.

PlunkforHOF

Well friends, even if we don’t make the playoffs (though I believe we can, just a lil luck is needed) this is still a satisfying season IMO. Beating the Dischargers and ESPECIALLY the Donks twice! I hate the Broncos and am overjoyed to see them sucking a$$. This will surely continue as Tebow has given me a new Donk to despise. And the haters on this blog who predicted another 5-11 season (we all know who they are) can also go pound sand. I’m thinking we end up 9-7 and make the playoffs. Go Raiders! I’ll be proudly sporting my extensive Raiders wardrobe all winter.

Raiders=Playoffs!

JLofty

Oster is a total d-bag. He doesn’t even get let in to locker rooms anymore. He has NO inside info and couldn’t write himself out of a paper bag with a box of pencils.

Cable has brought the Raiders back to a professional team, changed the LOSER culture and brought back accountability to a team/franchise organization that seemed institutionally INCAPABLE of that.
And Cable has swept the division. No head coach has ever been fired after sweeping the division.
HueJ has never been a HC at ANY level, not that he can’t or won’t make a terrific HC someday. Oster just running his tiny wee brain for material.

YoungAmerican

Yeah, going into this season, sweeping the Chargers and Broncos almost seemed like too much to expect from this team.

Seeing how much better they could have done (at least two more wins were possible) is kind of disappointing, for sure. But I’m just glad there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel, and the Raiders seem to have finally found coaches and players who can work within the system the Raiders run.

Keeping Hue Jackson would be more important than keeping Cable if it came around to it.
———————————-
Maybe, but whose going to insist that Jackson run the ball? Not Al Davis.

^^^^^^^^
Jackson should know damn well by now that without the running game the offense will not be as efficient or effective, until they keep developing the passing game and O-Line pass pro.

YoungAmerican

Just a theory, but I think the first thing Al will try to do if Hue gets offered a head coaching gig is match whatever the other team is willing to pay him. When Al takes a shine to someone, he usually goes out of his way to keep them. It usually doesn’t happen with coaches, but I don’t see any reason why Al wouldn’t be willing to pay him as much as he pays Cable.

ottocrat

Hi, I’m Brett Favre. When I’m on the prowl, and cruisin’ the scene for hot young studs like Alex Smith and Tim Tebow, I make sure that I’m wearing my Daisy Dukes. And, if I’m wearing Daisy Dukes, I make sure that they’re Wranglers.

YoungAmerican

And if the Bengals DO come calling for Hue, it’s never hard to outspend Mike Brown.

RaidingTexas

The Real MaddenRaider Says:

Mistic, is Campbell good enough at reading blitzes and hot routes to be a Super Bowl winning quarterback?
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Campbell has not fared well against the blitz. No doubt. But teams don’t blitz on every down. And he’s better against non-blitz than McNabb.